The Doctrine and Covenants

Section 97

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, August 2, 1833. This revelation deals particularly with the affairs of the Saints in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, in response to the Prophet’s inquiry of the Lord for information. Members of the Church in Missouri were at this time subjected to severe persecution and, on July 23, 1833, had been forced to sign an agreement to leave Jackson County.

1–2, Many of the Saints in Zion (Jackson County, Missouri) are blessed for their faithfulness; 3–5, Parley P. Pratt is commended for his labors in the school in Zion; 6–9, Those who observe their covenants are accepted by the Lord; 10–17, A house is to be built in Zion in which the pure in heart will see God; 18–21, Zion is the pure in heart; 22–28, Zion will escape the Lord’s scourge if she is faithful.

1 Verily I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my avoice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the land of bZion, many of whom are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth.

2 Verily, verily I say unto you, blessed are such, for they shall obtain; for I, the Lord, show mercy unto all the ameek, and upon all whomsoever I will, that I may be bjustified when I shall bring them unto judgment.

3 Behold, I say unto you, concerning the school in Zion, I, the Lord, am well pleased that there should be a aschool in Zion, and also with my servant bParley P. Pratt, for he abideth in me.

4 And inasmuch as he continueth to abide in me he shall continue to preside over the school in the land of Zion until I shall give unto him other commandments.

5 And I will bless him with a multiplicity of blessings, in expounding all scriptures and mysteries to the edification of the aschool, and of the church in Zion.

6 And to the residue of the school, I, the Lord, am willing to show mercy; nevertheless, there are those that must needs be achastened, and their works shall be made known.

7 The aax is laid at the root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. I, the Lord, have spoken it.

8 Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are ahonest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are bwilling to observe their covenants by csacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are daccepted of me.

9 For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful atree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.

10 Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a ahouse should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the bpattern which I have given you.

11 Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people.

12 Behold, this is the atithing and the bsacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there may be a chouse built unto me for the salvation of Zion—

13 For a place of athanksgiving for all saints, and for a place of instruction for all those who are called to the work of the ministry in all their several callings and offices;

14 That they may be perfected in the aunderstanding of their ministry, in theory, in principle, and in doctrine, in all things pertaining to the bkingdom of God on the earth, the ckeys of which kingdom have been dconferred upon you.

15 And inasmuch as my people abuild a bhouse unto me in the cname of the Lord, and do not suffer any dunclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my eglory shall rest upon it;

16 Yea, and my apresence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the bpure in heart that shall come into it shall see God.

17 But if it be defiled I will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come into aunholy temples.

18 And, now, behold, if Zion do these things she shall aprosper, and spread herself and become very glorious, very great, and very terrible.

19 And the anations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say: Surely bZion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there;

20 And he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation and her high atower.